Andy O

Can people please stop constantly posting about the guy. There are other aspects of the game. You are not abusing, you never have. But you are delegitimising, eg “off very little evidence”, it’s the same amount of evidence as any young player. The delegitimising leads nut jobs to abuse

The train had left the station by the time you say you stopped having takes on this, it was much too late

It’s not direct man and you know that, you’ve been a loud voice in completely delegitimising SP’s Ireland career. Eg calling for Aidan Morgan to be in the squad ahead of him last season (true story 😂) then angrily questioning JC even being subbed pretending he is having “stunning” games etc etc

LoL fair play, you’ve been a guilty as many others in encouraging the pile on, but now you have mature takes? Quality stuff

Six Nations on road to perdition unless chastening Celtic wake-up call is heeded | Robert Kitson Championship risks becoming a two-tier affair as Ireland, Wales and Scotland all lose on the opening weekend for first time in 26 years

Robert Kitson will be reposing at the offices of the Guardian, family flowers only

www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...

Ireland in Paris were abject, anyone from 2-15 were lucky to keep their jersey. Not so much today, much better imho, halfbacks (who absolutely have to change ffs) and scrum undermined everything Ireland did. Not sure what you can do with that scrum in a week.

The age? Perhaps look at the player on the pitch

One Irish halfback having a nightmare, so the other decides to outdo him. Lots to like in the opening 20, but we need to change our 10 fast, unbelievable performance

I see people complaining about Josh Neill playing rugby for Ireland, ok… I’ve just watched a lad called McGrath move into gold in the Giant Slalom at the Olympics for bloody Norway 🤷🏼‍♂️

Much less so in our back-line, but let’s be positive fingers crossed

Izuchukwu & E Edogbo being fit and named in the Irish 23 is properly exciting, two phenomenal athletes. Layer in Bryn Ward soon, Paddy McCarthy comes back and the possibility of McNabney & S Edogbo coming up, the medium term is bright.

Fair or not, it is what it is and a small pool like Ireland just has to box clever. Interesting with all the chat about pathways this week, to hear Lancaster on The42 and Berch on RTE outlining ways where we certainly are not boxing clever.

It’s really not unusual Kavin Gourges would be France’s latest example of capping someone younger and with less pro games… Pollack, Sititi, Porthen examples from other leading nations. Our clubs just don’t trust u23 players, so few get a shot imho

Extraordinary for Ireland only, standard elsewhere else at this point. As the French team that destroyed us last week demonstrated.

Really hope he plays! The Indo seems pretty convinced. Would send a strong message to a lot of coaches and his peers, they’re good enough but wasting their time sitting on benches.

Antoine Dupont et Anthony Jelonch : ces contrats qui posent problème La société 3S-Alyzia, partenaire du Stade Toulousain, a versé plus de 1,5 million d'euros à Antoine Dupont et 170 000 euros à Anthony Jelonch pour des contrats d'image et de publicité dont on ne trouv...

D’member when people used to pretend that Toulouse could have 5 international full backs, 25+ internationals and the world’s best paid player while staying under a salary cap? 😂😂

Caught again it seems… sponsors paying Dupont €1.8m for no work. A “Ryan Tubridy”

www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Articl...

Do we have the forwards with the power and athleticism to play that more physical game? Not defending the current system, just doubt trying to match fire with fire would be any more successful.

He’s already been canned, before a game, Collie Tucker is taking over next year. 4 coaches in 2 years. Fair play Hump 👏 👏

A hell of a lot of that nuance disappears as soon as the person in the role embraces the goal of the role, ie make Irish rugby better. For example, picking a Leinster example, there’s no way Porter, McCarthy & Boyle should be allowed extend at Leinster, that’s only good for Leinster

Fans expect to win every game and lose the plot with a single defeat… what’s a coach to do? You have to pick the late 20’s experienced guy over the young talent. Humphreys could stop that older, never gonna be an international from getting his contract renewed, but just panders to all clubs.

The u20s got old? Fair play 😂😂

3 years ago Irish men’s rugby won a GS, were world #1, won u20s GS, made u20 WC final, our 7s team made World Series Final, Munster won a URC, Leinster made a European final, 4 provinces were in the Champions Cup we beat SA at a WC (and ultimately fell short to NZ)

What changed?

26mins in and Wales have conceded twice as many penalties (10) as passes made (5) and 2 more than England’s tackles made (8). Hard to be a rugby fan in Wales.

Sorry, where? At Leinster? Leinster play academy aged players more than x2 all the other teams combined, precisely because of the international call ups. Young talented players are not getting anything like the required match time anywhere

Using the same example of that u20s tournament, Gleeson was head and shoulders ahead of Cunningham-South and Gazzotti, but the other two have played x3 the pro games are internationals, one has been brilliant at Eden Pk, the other has won a European cup. Not blaming anyone for that

Love this topic, but strongly disagree with the take… provincial coaches are under so much pressure they can’t pick the young lad, they have to re-sign and play the lad in his late 20s, who will never be an international. Eg Lancaster has a bit of leeway at the moment so can pick Bohan

Interesting that the same folks who make so many excuses for underperforming rugby clubs in Ireland, finances, demographics etc etc angrily ignore those same factors for international rugby.

Why is that?

The French backrow went hunting for JGP when they had the ball in hand, smashed him back all too often. Same against La Rochelle a couple of weeks ago.

If you had the unenviable task of having to pick an Irish team to play England, then almost every jersey should be up for grabs… Loughman,
Beirne & McCloskey the only obvious player retained.

Listened to a podcast today where the speaker was blaming Irish injuries on the amount the players play… fair play doctor, that’s some mental gymnastics.

Eg Hugo Keenan hasn’t played a minute and broke his hand.